General help with newly built coop

[Lesabrowning]

Thanks so much! The coop sits inside a larger, run, 20 x 10 that is about to be covered with a tin roof. We are in the process of building roosts this weekend, the girls have been watching the whole process each day from a mobile tractor coop and going back into the house with us at night.... into our master bath in my huge corner clawfoot tub! No one wants this coop finished more than I do! (tub has been made chicken safe, don't worry) As crazy as all this sounds, this is not my first rodeo I have had a few coops and been raising chickens for several years... It is my husband's first time though, we just got married in May.
We are in Middle Tennessee, just outside of Nashville. I will add that to my profile. Thanks for the reminder.

 

[Lesabrowning]

Good morning everyone! I have been thinking a lot about ventilation. Same nice non-plan following guy who built the basic structure for us did another deviation from original plan... he put plywood on the sides where it called for two windows of hardware cloth. . I could remove that before we put up siding and paint. SO... before we make this coop "pretty" for us and the neighbor that can see it from their yard... I would like some opinions on how much ventilation we need. Currently, in this 4 x 8 x 5.5 coop we have two windows on the front that are 19 x 16 inches each, one window on the people door that is 4x6 inches, and a window on the back that is 9x12 inches. We were planning on adding some small vent openings at the top, probably one on each corner, But in theory, we could remove the plywood on each 4 foot side and that would create two more windows of hardware cloth measuring 37x10 each. The other option is there is the dead space from the small boxes not being used, right under the existing 9x12 back wall window, I could create an additional 34 x 7 inch window.
I guess I want to know how much venting or "window" space you think I need?

While I have had chickens for years, I have never had a set up like this. My last coop was ordered from Chickencondos.com, it was a 4x6 coop and a 16 ft run and I ordered the ultimate package and let them add all their bells and whistles because we had never done it before and my ex had never owned even a goldfish and said that was the only way this was happening! LOL Honestly, that set up worked really well for us, we had many chickens do great for several years and passed it on after divorce and moving on. I swear it had nothing but a tiny vent! I now feel terrible about that!

While I am rambling... Do you think I should cover the entire 20 feet of run space with the tin roof or leave some open? Until our acre gets a fence, they will be in the run most of the time. The fence will likely not come until the end of the summer.

Sorry for all the words, I am a journalist, can't help it!

 

[aart]

Sorry for all the words, I am a journalist, can't help it!

Yakyakyakyak as a designer/drafter, I want to see the pics!

First thing I would do is remove the solid roof and add long rafters on tops of walls to provide a large overhangs and soffit ventilation. Might even add a knee wall to front for more ventilation and good slope.

Putting a solid roof on the run might be good, for shade and rain protection.
Do you have good drainage or is there puddling in the run after all the rain y'all have had?

 

[Lesabrowning]

Yakyakyakyak as a designer/drafter, I want to see the pics!

First thing I would do is remove the solid roof and add long rafters on tops of walls to provide a large overhangs and soffit ventilation. Might even add a knee wall to front for more ventilation and good slope.

Putting a solid roof on the run might be good, for shade and rain protection.
Do you have good drainage or is there puddling in the run after all the rain y'all have had?

I really don't want to remove the roof because even though we are doing everything we can to predator-proof the run, we live next to 40 acres of woods. I want to be able to lock them in the hen house at night. The run is a chain link dog kennel. It is 20' long, 10' wide and 6' tall. The door is getting a wood frame today to account for those gaps. It has 4' of 1/4" hardware cloth all around and a 24" apron of hardware cloth. On top of the apron we have cinderblocks all the way around and 12" square pavers in front of the blocks. The tin roof will be supported by a wood frame that is sunk in concrete into six of the blocks. (and some other stuff hubby and a friend have worked up) It will protect from the rain and provide shade.

We have had the kennel up for several weeks and we had the chicken tractor sitting inside of it before we brought the new hen house in. The girls have been outside during the days for a couple of weeks. We get plenty of rain and no puddling or drainage issues, thank goodness!
We will be putting a gutter on the roof connected to our rain barrel for water collection.

Lesa

 

[aart]

I really don't want to remove the roof because even though we are doing everything we can to predator-proof the run, we live next to 40 acres of woods

Well, it would be removed and then replaced with something predator proof but increasing much needed ventilation.

 

[reddogmaster2]

Hi again! Thank you so much for the help with the latches. I figured I should make a post for some general help. Our coop was built from a set of plans I found from an Etsy seller, it fit our space nicely. Due to time constraints, we had a local guy build it for us. He did a nice job, all things considered, but it wasn’t until he was finished that he told me that he was not able to fully download the plan, LOL this would explain the very obvious problem with our nesting boxes and roosting bars...

For starters he told us he made five nesting boxes when we only asked for three… “ in case you want to expand your flock…“ That would’ve been fine, except this nice gentleman clearly has never had chickens, because three of those nesting boxes are about 6 x 6 square! (I suppose we will be closing those off somehow) we only have six chickens, so the two rather large boxes should be fine. The coop is 8’ x 4’ and 5 1/2 feet tall.

His afterthought roosting bars are the worst, they’re going to have to come out… They are literally right next to and under the nesting boxes. They do have very cute little ladders though. We are thinking of putting two roosting bars to the left of the nesting boxes, sort of stadium style. Unless anyone here has a better idea. I have enclosed a few photos because I’m probably missing some other problems.

The entire henhouse sits in a 20 x 10‘ run that is also covered and predator proof. I welcome anyone suggestions, thanks in advance!

Lesa

@Lesabrowning
I was wondering why you and the man of the house didn't build the coop yourselves? Seems like the old adage "If you want something done right, do it yourself" might apply in this situation.

Anyhoo, what's the status on the coop?

Thanks

 

[Lesabrowning]

@Lesabrowning
I was wondering why you and the man of the house didn't build the coop yourselves? Seems like the old adage "If you want something done right, do it yourself" might apply in this situation.

Anyhoo, what's the status on the coop?

Thanks

We are in the end stages of a whole-house renovation and just tired if you want an honest answer. Shawn was willing, but there was no way we were going to have the time and I did not want them living in the chicken tractor all summer. We will take what the handyman started and finish it up.

The current status is we are adding some windows, altering the egg door, installing vinyl on the floor, and finishing the tin roof on the run. We are also painting and doing some decorative touches that are for us, not really for the chickens, lol